insight into reality: how things exist according to the buddha

INSIGHT INTO REALITY

Saraswati Buddhist Group June 2013

WHY STUDY EMPTINESS?

Small scope

Middle scope

Great scope

Tantra

“I CAN CHANGE, I CAN CHANGE”

1) Afflictions are based on wrong views

2) Antidotes can be developed limitlessly

3) All beings possess buddha nature

BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE

TATHAGATA ESSENCE

Vs27: Because a perfect Buddha’s body is pervasive,

Because suchness is without differentiation,

And because a [Buddha] lineage exists, all embodied

Are always in possession of a Buddha essence.

How to train in special insight, the

essence of wisdom

a) Prerequisites for special

insight

b) Divisions of special insight

c) How to cultivate special

insight

d) The measure of having

established special insight

How calm abiding and special

insight unite

SOURCE OF THE TRADITION

SOURCE OF THE TRADITIONShakyamuni Buddha

Nagarjuna

Disciple: Aryadeva

Buddhapalita

Bhavivaveka (SSM)Refuted C

Said external objects exist in conventional terms

Shantarakshita (YSM)Said external objects do notexist in conventional terms + mind ultimately without IE [but conventionally it is IE]

Chandrakirti commenting on…

Said external objects exist conventionally but not like

other systems

Atisha Kadampa Masters

Je Tsongkhapa

AUTONOMISTS - CONSEQUENTIALISTSTerms used by Tibetan scholars in

later dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet

MIDDLE WAY DIVIDED BY:• Asserting external objects (SSM & PM)• Not asserting external objects (YSM)

or• How the view is ascertained (SM & PM)

HOW TO DELINEATE THE VIEW

How to delineate the view

a) Identifying afflictive ignorance

b) Showing it is the root of revolving in

cyclic existence

c) Showing that one wishing to

abandon the apprehension of a self

should seek the view of selflessness

IDENTIFYING AFFLICTIVE IGNORANCE

Identify anger = able to apply an antidote

Identify pride = able to apply an antidote

Don’t identify ignorance = not able to apply an

antidote

IGNORANCE WISDOM

IGNORANCE

A consciousness apprehending a self of

1) Person

2) Phenomena

How? To conceive that things exist inherently

CHANDRAKIRTI’S COMMENTARY

“Those which exist only when the conceptuality

[apprehending them] exists and do not exist

when conceptuality does not are without

question definite as not established by way of

their own nature, like a snake imputed to a

coiled rope.”

EXISTING AS

ITS OWN

REALITY

IMPUTED BY

CONCEPTUALITY

LAMA TSONGKHAPA

“the object of negation – is to conceive [that

objects] are not posited through the force of

beginningless conceptuality but are established

objectively by way of their own entity”

CONCEIVED OBJECT OF

IGNORANCE“inherent existence” “self”

OBSERVED OBJECT OF

IGNORANCE“self” “mere I” “mind basis of all”

CONCEIVED OBJECT OF

IGNORANCE“inherent existence” “self”

Non-existence of that in person = ?

Non-existence of that in phenomena = ?

SELF OF

PERSON

GRASPING AT A

SELF OF PERSON

How to delineate the view

a) Identifying afflictive ignorance

b) Showing it is the root of revolving in

cyclic existence

c) Showing that one wishing to

abandon the apprehension of a self

should seek the view of selflessness

EYE, EAR, NOSE, TONGUE“abide in dependence on the body sense

power”

ATTACHMENT, ANGER, PRIDE etc.“operate in dependence on innate

ignorance”

IGNORANCE HOLDS THE OBJECT

TO BE ESTABLISHED BY WAY OF ITS

OWN CHARACTER

If apprehension

agreeable

DESIRE

If apprehension

disagreeable

If apprehension

neither

ANGERCONTINUATION

OF SAME

IGNORANCE

How to delineate the view

a) Identifying afflictive ignorance

b) Showing it is the root of revolving in

cyclic existence

c) Showing that one wishing to

abandon the apprehension of a self

should seek the view of selflessness

REMOVING

A THORN

REALISING THE

NON-EXISTENCE

OF THE OBJECT

AS IT IS

APPREHENDED

Overcome ignorance

Overcome unrealistic thinking

Overcome afflictions

Actions motivated by afflictions are

overcome

Powerless rebirth overcome

LIBERATION

“unerringly seek the view realising selflessness”

HOW TO GENERATE THE VIEW

How to generate the view

a) The order of realisation

b) Actual generation of the two views

a) Selflessness of persons

b) Selflessness of phenomena

c) Presentation of the two truths

NAGARJUNA

“As long as the aggregates are apprehended

[as inherently established],

So long thereby does the apprehension of “I”

[as inherently established] exist.”

ENTERING INTO THE VIEW

APPREHENSION

OF A VIEW OF

PERSON

APPREHENSION OF A VIEW OF

SELF OF

PHENOMENA

VIEW REALISING

SELFLESSNESS OF

PHENOMENA

VIEW OF A

SELFLESSNESS OF

PERSON

How to generate the view

a) The order of realisation

b) Actual generation of the two views

a) Selflessness of persons

b) Selflessness of phenomena

c) Presentation of the two truths

THE FOUR ESSENTIALSReason of inherently one or different

1) Ascertaining the object of negation

2) Establishing the pervasion

3) Refuting that the self and the aggregates

are inherently one

4) Refuting that the self and the aggregates

are inherently different

• “I didn’t do that!”

• “I really made a mess of things”

• Getting angry at your body or mind

• Something wonderful happened to you

SELF-INSTITUTING

CONCRETE

NEITHER MIND NOR BODY

SOLID

THE FOUR ESSENTIALSReason of inherently one or different

1) Ascertaining the object of negation

2) Establishing the pervasion

3) Refuting that the self and the aggregates

are inherently one

4) Refuting that the self and the aggregates

are inherently different

LAMA TSONGKHAPA

“…the decision that if a person is inherently

established, it must be established as either one

entity with or a different entity from the

aggregates and that there is no mode of

establishment other than those two.”

THE FOUR ESSENTIALSReason of inherently one or different

1) Ascertaining the object of negation

2) Establishing the pervasion

3) Refuting that the self and the aggregates

are inherently one

4) Refuting that the self and the aggregates

are inherently different

Self and the aggregates become synonyms

Assumer and discarder of the aggregates becomes unfeasible.

“my body” “my leg” “my mind” would be illogical When the body ceases, the self would cease to exist

Many aggregates = many selves

Or then if the self is one, then the mind and body (plural) would

become one.

Self would have production and disintegration

Present moments couldn’t depend on former moments. Past lives

would be impossible.

Actions done would be wasted

One would meet with effects of actions not done by oneself

THE FOUR ESSENTIALSReason of inherently one or different

1) Ascertaining the object of negation

2) Establishing the pervasion

3) Refuting that the self and the aggregates

are inherently one

4) Refuting that the self and the aggregates

are inherently different

It would not have the characteristics of

impermanent phenomena

Therefore the self would be permanent

If it is not the body and mind, it would have to

be observed as something else

CONCLUSIONThere is no inherent self one with the

aggregates

There is no inherent self different from the

aggregates

“A person does not in the least have inherent

establishment.” Pg. 84

CONCLUSIONIn addition, there can be no inherently existing

“mine”

Potter doesn’t exist

The pot made by that potter can’t exist

APPEARANCE REALITY

LAMA TSONGKHAPA

“Because all actions, agents and objects are

feasible, this is not an annihilatory emptiness.”

LAMA TSONGKHAPA

“Also, because phenomena, which from the

primordial start have been empty in this way,

are just being known as empty, this is also not a

mentally fabricated emptiness.”

LAMA TSONGKHAPA

“Furthermore, since all objects of knowledge

are asserted this way, it is not a partial

emptiness.”

LAMA TSONGKHAPA

“It is not that the meaning of the profound

[emptiness] is not suitable to be the object of

any awareness.”

DEPENDENT-

ARISINGSLACKING

INHERENT

EXISTENCE

How to generate the view

a) The order of realisation

b) Actual generation of the two views

a) Selflessness of persons

b) Selflessness of phenomena

c) Presentation of the two truths

PHENOMENA

• Five aggregates

• Six elements

• Six sense powers

PHENOMENAREASON OF INHERENTLY ONE OR DIFFERENT

• Physical

• Directional parts, etc.

• Mental

• Temporal parts

QUESTIONS OF ANAVATAPTA KING OF

NAGAS SUTRA

“Those which are produced from [causes and]

conditions are not produced;

They have no inherent nature of production.

[Therefore] those which rely on [causes and]

conditions are said [by the Conqueror] to be

empty…”

DEPENDENT INDEPENDENT

RELYING ON

CAUSES &

CONDITIONS

ABLE TO SET

ITSELF UP UNDER

ITS OWN POWER

NIHILISM SUPERIMPOSITIONObject of

negation not

delineated

and gone too

far

Object of

negation not

delineated

and not gone

far enough

SUBJECT PREDICATE REASONfive aggregates lack inherent

existence

because they

are a

dependent

arising

THESIS

SYLLOGISM

SUBJECT PREDICATE REASONfive aggregates lack inherent

existence

because they

are a

dependent

arising

THESIS

SYLLOGISM

REMOVES EXTREME OF REIFICATION

REMOVES EXTREME OF NIHILISM

REASON OF DEPENDENT-ARISING

REFUTES APPREHENSIONS OF…

• Oneness & difference

• Four extreme types of production

• Extremes of reification & nihilism

INHERENT

EXISTENCE MERE EXISTENCE

ABSENCE OF

EXISTENCE BY

WAY OF ITS

OWN

CHARACTER

NON-EXISTENCE

LOWER SCHOOLS

MUST BE

INHERENTLY

EXISTENT

IF IT EXISTS

MUST BE

NON-EXISTENT

IF IT IS NOT

INHERENTLY

EXISTENT

How to generate the view

a) The order of realisation

b) Actual generation of the two views

a) Selflessness of persons

b) Selflessness of phenomena

c) Presentation of the two truths

THE TWO TRUTHS

a) The basis on which the two truths are divided

b) The number of divisions

c) The meaning of dividing them that way

d) Explaining the meaning of the individual divisions

a) Obscurational truth

b) Ultimate truth

OBSCURATIONAL TRUTH

a) Meanings of kun-dzob and den-pa

b) Definition

c) Divisions

ULTIMATE TRUTH

a) Meanings of dön-dam and den-pa

b) Definition

c) Divisions

OBSCURATIONAL TRUTH ULTIMATE TRUTHTruth for a

consciousness

apprehending

true existence

True means

non-deceptive

How to train in special insight, the

essence of wisdom

a) Prerequisites for special

insight

b) Divisions of special insight

c) How to cultivate special

insight

d) The measure of having

established special insight

How calm abiding and special

insight unite

THE THREE WISDOMSHH Dalai Lama, Kalachakra, Washington DC 2011

WISDOM THROUGH MEDITATIONDeveloping the feeling found in the previous wisdom so that is becomes

spontaneous.

WISDOM THROUGH REFLECTIONDeveloped through ones own critical thinking, attaining certainly such

that it won’t be shaken by other views.

WISDOM THROUGH LISTENINGSimply listening to words or reading words in a book. Not stable – can lead

to doubt if meets with different views.

THE THREE WISDOMSLRCM 1, chapter 6

“Proper attention is based upon prior study. Sublime

wisdom, which takes reality as its object, arises from your

cultivation of proper attention.” Maitreya – Ornament for

the Mahayana Sutras

Listen / Study

Wisdom from listening / study (second-hand)

Reflect

Wisdom from reflection (firsthand)

Meditate

Wisdom from meditation (special insight)

This is the path!

HOW TO CULTIVATE SPECIAL INSIGHT

a) Special insight is cultivated in dependence on CA

b) Hinayana or Mahayana?

c) How to cultivate special insight

THE MEASURE OF HAVING ESTABLISHED

SPECIAL INSIGHT

MP PP BPP BMP

THE FIVE PATHS

Path of accumulation

Path of Preparation

•First Special Insight observing emptiness: conceptual

Path of Seeing

•First Special Insight observing emptiness directly: non-conceptual (Arya being)

Path of Meditation

•8th ground –Arhat, Foe destroyer. Removed all ignorance and its seeds.

Path of No More Learning

•Buddha: abandoned appearance of inherent existence and the imprints of that appearance.

CHANDRAKIRTI

“I offer homage to loving concern viewing

transmigrators as empty of inherent existence,

though they appear to exist inherently, like a

reflection of the moon in water.”

CREDITS

MUSIC

"open the source" "through the night" "Looking for a way out"

by Paolo Pavan

http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1033804/open-the-source

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported